DFB-Pokal Preview: Borussia Dortmund v Bayern Munich

Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp faces an unusual selection dilemma ahead of Saturday s DFB-Pokal final with Bayern Munich.

Striker Robert Lewandowski has enjoyed another superb season for Dortmund, with his haul of 20 Bundesliga goals enough to earn him the division’s top scorer award as Klopp s side again finished a distant second behind Bayern.

However, this weekend s game in Berlin marks Lewandowski s last in a Dortmund shirt, as the Poland international is joining champions Bayern on a free transfer ahead of the 2014-15 season.

And that means Klopp must make the difficult decision over whether or not to start his leading marksman against his future employers.

The 46-year-old opted to leave Lewandowski on the bench for Dortmund s Bundesliga trip to the …

Betting Preview: Swansea v Tottenham – Sunday Dec 14

Swansea v Tottenham – Sunday 14th December, kick off 1600. Live on Sky Sports 1

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Eriksen to out-shoot Sigurdsson

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Christian Eriksen has not quite delivered on what everyone expected when Tottenham signed him from Ajax in 2013 but he is still ranked in the top 20 of the Premier League shots table and is well ahead of Swansea s Gylfi Sigurdsson.

Danish international Eriksen, who notched 24 goals in 91 Eredivisie appearances for the Amsterdam club, has scored only 12 in 38 in the Premier League for Spurs.

However, he averages nearly three shots per game …

France boss slams ´destabilisation operation´ as player boycott threatens World Cup preparations

France coach Corinne Diacre has vowed to lead Les Bleues at this year s Women s World Cup, hitting out at a destabilisation operation amid a boycott of the team by several big-name players.

France are in crisis ahead of the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, with captain Wendie Renard and forward pair Kadidiatou Diani and Marie-Antoinette Katoto putting their international careers on hold.

The trio will skip the World Cup if major changes are not made by the French Football Federation (FFF), with Katoto saying she feels no longer aligned with the management of the team .

Reports have claimed the players want the FFF to call time on Diacre s six-year stint in charge, but the former France defender insists she is going nowhere.

In view of the shameful…

Mourinho on beating Real Sociedad: Only a good result if we don´t lose by three next week

Roma may have won 2-0 over Real Sociedad in their Europa League last-16 first leg but head coach Jose Mourinho refused to call it a good result.

Goals from Stephan Al Shaarawy and substitute Marash Kumbulla secured the home victory which gives the Giallorossi a significant advantage ahead of the return leg in San Sebastian.

Despite that, Mourinho was not satisfied, urging caution with a quarter-final spot at stake.

This 2-0 is only good if we don t lose by three in the second leg, Mourinho told Sky Sport Italia. I will never say it s a good result after the first leg.

Mourinho acknowledged Roma have a complicated schedule around the second leg on Thursday 16 March, with a Derby della Capitale against Lazio three days later.

Now we have a danger…

Sevilla clinch loan capture of Swansea City´s Roque Mesa

Sevilla have rescued Roque Mesa from his disappointing spell with Swansea City after signing him on loan until the end of the season.

Mesa joined Swansea from Las Palmas for a reported fee of €12.5million in July after two excellent seasons in LaLiga.

The 28-year-old has started just nine of rock-bottom Swansea s 24 Premier League games this season, however, with the last coming on December 30 against Watford.

Mesa had been linked with a return to Las Palmas but Sevilla, reportedly keen on signing a back-up to Ever Banega, have won the race and will be able to offer him a first taste of Champions League football.

Vincenzo Montella s side face Manchester United in the last 16, with the first leg at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan taking place on February 21.

Elia agrees extended Feyenoord stay

Netherlands international Eljero Elia has agreed to a one-year contract extension at Feyenoord, the Eredivise club have announced.

The 29-year-old, who has won 28 caps for his country, moved to De Kuip from Werder Bremen in 2015 following a loan spell in the Premier League with Southampton.

His deal had been due to expire in 2017, but will now run for another 12 months.

Eljero in his first year as Feyenoord been decisive for the team,  technical director Martin van Geel said in a statement on the club s website.

His contribution has been of great value to us and we are therefore very pleased that we were able to tie him down to Feyenoord.

Elia helped Feyenoord – who have already renewed deals for Kenneth Vermeer, Karim El Ahmadi, Tonny…

Agger: England shouldn´t fear Germany

Denmark defender Daniel Agger said England should not fear Germany should they play them in the semi-finals of Euro 2012.

The Danish skipper and Liverpool stopper led his country out in their 2-1 defeat at the hands of Joachim Loew s team on Sunday, a result which eliminated Morten Olsen s side from the competition.

Germany were ran close by the Danes, however, needing a late Lars Bender goal to seal victory after Michael Krohn-Dehli had cancelled out Lukas Podolski s opener.

England will face Germany if the two countries come through their quarter-final matches against Italy and Greece respectively.

Germany would be heavy favourites for such a game, having thrashed the Three Lions 4-1 at the 2010 World Cup, but Agger said the England players play agains…

Alonso joy in 100-game milestone

Spain midfielder Xabi Alonso said he was delighted his match-winning double against France sent his side into the Euro 2012 semi-finals.

But he insists that to do so on the occasion of his 100th national team appearance was just an extra .

Alonso s first-half header and injury-time penalty secured the win for the Spaniards, as they look to become the first international side to win three consecutive major titles after success in this competition four years ago, along with their World Cup triumph in South Africa in 2010.

And Alonso highlighted the ease with which the Spanish made victory against the French look, despite many predicting a close encounter beforehand.

It s in these matches that we have to show what we re about, he told UEFA.com. We controll…

Juventus boss Sarri would welcome last-16 clash with Mourinho´s Tottenham

Juventus head coach Maurizio Sarri would welcome a Champions League last-16 tie with Tottenham so that he can face off against extraordinary Jose Mourinho.

The Italian champions eased into the knockout stages with five wins and a draw in their Group D campaign, culminating in a 2-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday.

Tottenham suffered a 3-1 loss at Bayern Munich in their final Group B match, meanwhile, but they were already assured of second place behind the German giants in Group B.

Juve and Tottenham could meet in the next round, with Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, Lyon and Real Madrid other possible opponents for Juventus.

Good way to end our group stage! See you in February!

— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano)

Mourinho claim…

Prediction: Liverpool vs Watford

Best odds: 17/20

Bookmaker:

In a week of several extremely good news for them, Liverpool will welcome Watford to Anfield on Saturday for a game that will open the 17th round of the 2019/20 Premier League roller coaster.

Liverpool

They might have left it late again, but Liverpool have made it into the knockout stages as they seek to defend their Champions League trophy by beating RB Salzburg in Austria on Tuesday. Having seen in the flesh what he can do, the Reds have since reportedly reached an agreement with Salzburg over a January transfer of 24-year-old winger Takumi Minamino, and they followed that up with a fresh five-year deal for manager Jurgen Klopp, which has now been signed.

As for the Premier League, the European champions seem unstoppable at…